High School Students Make a Career Connection at Expo

St. Charles, LA - March 28, 2006

	Dow employee Gordon Geoffroy assists students from Destrehan High School at the Reality Store where they learned about living expenses such as automobile and mortgage payments, health and car insurance as well as other daily living costs. Steve Koester, another employee from the Dow site at St. Charles Operations, assists another group of Destrehan High student.

Career Connections, an expo that showed area high school students what happens when their education experience hits the real world, was held March 23rd at Hahnville High School. More than 700 high school students from Destrehan and Hahnville high schools attended the event to gain a better understanding of the relationship between education, career and lifestyle choices.  

Dow Finance Leader at St. Charles Operations Tim Messenger said, “This was my first time volunteering with Career Connections, and I really enjoyed it because the kids asked a lot of excellent questions. I think they have a better understanding of what it really takes to raise a family.”

At the all day expo, students explored a variety of career options at the “Job Fair” and met people who perform these jobs on a daily basis. Using the information they collected from the “Job Fair,” students then attended a “Reality Store” and learned how the money earned from the different professions would support varying lifestyles.

Destrehan High School Junior Chris Johnson replied, “I didn’t realize how much a used Ford F150 costs!”
 
At the “Reality Store,” students were also required to purchase a home, transportation, insurance and other necessities if living on their own. The cost of food, financing, entertainment, utilities, medical care, child care and retirement were also budgeted.

“This was a good wake-up call and a great eye-opening experience,” said Destrehan High School Junior Julie Davis. “Career Connections affirmed my aspirations and goals.”

Hahnville High School Sophomore Natasha Johnson added, “ The job fair was beneficial because it helped me find information on colleges that offer curriculums in the careers that interest me.”

The event was organized by Career Builders, and Dow, along with Valero, St. Charles Parish Hospital, Motiva, Cytec. Shell and Wink Companies, served as one of the title sponsors of the event.

 St. Charles Operations is owned by Union Carbide Corporation, which is a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.

For Editorial Information:

Jolen T. Stein
St. Charles Operations
(985) 783-4990